International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 5, May 2012 1

ISSN 2250-3153

Design of a Robotic Arm for Picking and Placing an

Object Controlled Using LABView
Shyam R. Nair

Department of Electronics and Instrumentation,

Hindustan University, Chennai, India

Abstract- This paper focuses on designing a robotic arm for

picking and placing an object controlled using LABView. This is
expected to improve the accuracy and simplicity in control.

Index Terms- Accelerometer, DOF, Inverse kinematics,

Kinematics, LABView, Robotics, Robotic arm

I. INTRODUCTION

R obot is a machine to execute different task repeatedly with

high precision. Thereby many functions like collecting
information and studies about the hazardous sites which is too
risky to send human inside. Robots are used to reduce the human
interference nearly 50 percent. Robots are used in different types
like fire fighting robot, metal detecting robot, etc.
The first robotic arm to be used in an automobile industry was
“UNIMATE” in GM motors USA in 1950s. From then there has
been tremendous improvement in the research and development
in robotics. Now robots are an integral part of almost all
industries. Robots have to do different tasks including welding,
trimming, picking and placing etc. These robots are controlled in
different ways like keypads, voice control, etc.
In this paper, we introduce LABView based control of the
robotic arm. The LABView is designed to input the coordinates
of object in the real time environment. To select the real time
object, the corresponding coordinate is inputted. The action of
picking or placing is also given through the LABView panel.
Once the robot gets the coordinates, it uses the inverse
kinematics to calculate the required rotation.
II. HARDWARE
A. Mechanical
The robotic arm has 2 links and 3 joints. It is mounted on the
center of a table or the platform on which it is supposed to deal
with the objects. The end point of the second link has an
electromagnet and all objects are magnetically attractive.
The range of the arm is the total length of the two links. The
length of each link can be designed as per requirement. It can be
of equal or different lengths. The arm has 3 degrees of freedom.
Each joint has a dc geared motor for the link movement.
Figure1: Robotic Arm
B. Electronics
The robot electronics consists of a PIC microcontroller, PC
with LABView installed in it, motor driving unit, accelerometer
at the tip of the arm and a power supply.
The LABView panel consists of two switches for selection of
picking and placing. And it also consists of 4 knobs for selecting
the X and Y coordinates of picking and placing respectively. The
position graph shows the position of the robotic arm at each
point, and this helps in tracking the arm position. This is done
with the help of accelerometer.
The accelerometer is placed at the tip of the arm and the
corresponding X and Y coordinates are fed back to the PC using
the same RS232 cable.
The motors used are dc geared motors with appropriate torque
and rpm. Solenoid type relay is used as the motor drive unit.
A lead acid battery is used as power source for the entire
system.
III. MATHEMATICAL MODELING
A. Inverse Kinematics
O is the point to be reached.
„c‟ and „a‟ are lengths of first and second link respectively.
From figure1 and figure3;
θ1 = θ
θ2 = A
θ3 = B

By Pythagoras theorem,

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International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 5, May 2012 2
ISSN 2250-3153

b² = x²+y²+ z² (1)
θ = tan‾¹(y/x) (2)
Ø = tan‾¹(z/ x²+y²) (3)
We know that area of a triangle is given by;

Area = (s*(s-a)*(s-b)*(s-c))½ (4)

Where, s = (a+b+c)/2 (5)

Here, c and a are arm length of link one and two respectively.

We also know that the area of a triangle is given by;

Area = ½*base*altitude (6)

From figure (2);

Area = ½*b*h (7)

But h = c*sinA (8)

Now, by substituting (8) in (7), we get;

Area = ½*b*c*sinA (9)

As we know values of a, b and c, the area is calculated as per

equations (4) and (5)

Hence, from equation (9); Figure 2: Schematic of working environment

sinA = 2*Area/ (b*c) B. Kinematics

Or From figure (2),

X coordinates are decided by the arm lengths c, a, angles A, C, θ,
A = sin‾¹ (2*Area/(b*c)) (10) Ø.

Similarly, As the effective length decreases with increase in angles, A and

C, it has a cosine relationship with the x coordinate.
B = sin‾¹ (2*Area/ (a*c)) (11) The effective length decreases with increase in the values of θ
and Ø.

Hence, the x coordinate can be written as;

X = (cCosA+aCosC) Cos θ Cos Ø

Similarly,

Y coordinates are decided by the arm lengths c, a, angles A, C, θ,

Ø.

As the effective length increases with increase in angles, A and

C, it has a sine relationship with the y coordinate.
The effective length decreases with increase in the values of θ
and Ø.

Hence, the y coordinate can be written as;

Y = (cCosA+aCosC) Sin θ Cos Ø

Similarly,

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International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 5, May 2012 3
ISSN 2250-3153

new angles are achieved. And the newly computed angles are
Z coordinates are decided by the arm lengths c, a, angles A, C, θ, overwritten on the previously stored values.
Ø.
As the effective length increases with increase in angles, A and For example;
C, it has a sine relationship with the z coordinate.
The effective length increases with increase in the value of Ø. If the robot has rotated the motors in the following sequence;
There is no relation for z with respect to θ. A with 15°
B with 20°
Hence, the z coordinate can be written as; Θ with 10°
Z = (cSinA+aSinB) Sin Ø Ø with 25°

Hence the kinematic equations for the robotic arm are; And if the newly calculated angles are

X = (cCosA+aCosC) Cos θ Cos Ø A with 17°

Y = (cCosA+aCosC) Sin θ Cos Ø B with 19°
Z = (cSinA+aSinC) Sin Ø Θ with 10°
Ø with 27°
Matrix Transformation;
Then the robot will make the following rotations;

A with 2° positive rotation

B with 1° negative rotation
* = Θ with 0°
Ø with 2° positive rotation

C. Motor Rotation Thus transformation is done from initial point to the final point.

From equations (2), (9) and (10), the values of θ, A and B are
obtained.
Θ is the angle of rotation for the base motor. A is the angle of
rotation for the motor connecting the first link and B is the angle
of rotation for the motor connecting the second link.
Here, we consider that all motors are of 10rpm. And hence, all
the motors cover 60° in one second.
To improve accuracy, the motor is turned on only for 1ms in one
on loop in the program.
IV. SOFTWARE
Onboard software is mainly developed with micro C. This
software interfaces between the PC and the robot by receiving
interrupts through RS232, to control all robot functions.
Simulations have been executed in PIC simulator. The LABView
panel was developed using the LABView software. It is designed
in such a manner to send the command signals and receive the
coordinate details from accelerometer through RS232.

Hence the motor covers an angle of 0.06° in one on loop.

Once the angles are calculated by using the inverse kinematics,

the PIC microcontroller decides the number of on loops to be
executed for each motor.

For example, if the angle to be covered by the base motor is 24°,

then the PIC microcontroller will execute the on loop 400 times.

D. Transformation from initial to final point

Once the robot gets the coordinate values, it computes the angles
using the inverse kinematics and proper rotations are made by the
motors. These angle values are stored in eeprom of the controller.

When the next coordinates are obtained, again the robot

calculates the angles, but this time it looks back to the values
stored in eeprom and compares it with the newly computed angle
values. Then the robot rotates the motors in such a way that the

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International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 5, May 2012
ISSN 2250-3153
Figure 3: LABView Panel
V. SAMPLE WORKING
If we have an object at a coordinate (1, 5), and we have to
move it to a coordinate (3,-6), we first press the pick button in
the LABView panel and then adjust the X and Y values to 1 and
5 using the knobs. Then we press the place button and adjust the
X and Y values to 3 and -6 using the knobs. These data are taken
by the PIC microcontroller through serial communicator.
Now using the equations (2), (10) and (11), the controller
calculates the values of θ, A and B respectively. These values are
stored in separate variables and then the number of on loops to be
executed are calculated and executed one by one.
When all the motors are rotated accordingly, the tip of the
second link is magnetized and this helps in holding the
magnetically attractive object. Once the destination coordinate is
reached, the tip is demagnetized to place the object.
The output of the accelerometer is fed to the PC and thus the
position of the arm can be viewed in the LABView panel.
VI. CONCLUSION
LABView controlled robotic arm was successfully designed.
The robotic arm was found to be user friendly and the integration
of accelerometer was much helpful in attaining the feedback
regarding the position of the arm.
4
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The research in this paper was carried out at Hindustan
Institute of Technology and science, Chennai. This work was
supported by the e-MEN Robotic Research Centre Palakkad.
REFERENCES
[1] Shyam.R.Nair, “ Design of an Optically Controlled Robotic Arm for
Picking and Placing an Object”, International Journal for Scientific and
Research Publications, Vol 2, Issue 4, April 2012.
[2] Amon Tunwannarux, and Supanunt Tunwannarux “Design of a 5-Joint
Mechanical Arm with User-Friendly Control Program” World Academy of
Science, Engineering and Technology 27 2007
[3] Redwan Alqasemi and Rajiv Dubey “Control of a 9-DoF Wheelchair-
Mounted Robotic Arm System” 2007 Florida Conference on Recent
Advances in Robotics, FCRAR 2007
[4] Jegede Olawale, Awodele Oludele, Ajayi Ayodele and Ndong Miko
Alejandro “Development of a Microcontroller Based Robotic Arm”
Proceedings of the 2007 Computer Science and IT Education Conference.
[5] Brandi House, Jonathan Malkin, Jeff Bilmes “The VoiceBot: A Voice
Controlled Robot Arm” CHI 2009, April 4-9, 2009, Boston, Massachusetts,
USA.
[6] Dr.R.K.Bansal ”a textbook of engineering mechanics” page no 195-
199,page no 205-209
[7] Principles of Robotics page 24-38, pg54-57
AUTHORS
Shyam R. Nair, PG Scholar, Hindustan University, Chennai,
India, shyamieee@gmail.com
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